Category Theatre Venues

Theatre Review: 42 BALLOONS – The Lowry, Salford

The cast of 42 BALLOONS. Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

With its vibrant direction, inventive staging, and 80s-inspired soundtrack, 42 BALLOONS delivers an uplifting and captivating musical experience.

4 out of 5 stars

Six years in the making, 42 BALLOONS finally makes its world premiere at Salford’s The Lowry this month, with a journey that echoes Larry Walters’ astonishing true story.

Set in 1980s America, 42 BALLOONS follows Larry, a truck driver with a lifelong dream to defy gravity...

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Theatre Review: YOU’RE BARD – Sale Waterside Arts, Manchester

4 out of 5 stars

An unforgettable evening of Shakespeare unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, YOU’RE BARD is an expert masterclass in the art of improvisation.

As effervescent as a glass of Alka Seltzer, the cast of You’re Bard, gave Sale an expert masterclass in the use of improvisation throughout 90 minutes of hilarious comedy.

Take four actors and one compere, throw in audience participation in the form of Britney Spears and the themes come thick and fast, ricocheting like verbal ping pong...

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Theatre Review: Totally Improvised Musical – Sale Waterside Arts, Manchester

Featuring stellar performances and clever callbacks, Comedy Sportz’s TOTALLY IMPROVISED MUSICAL is a masterclass of improvised entertainment.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Improv comedy group Comedy Sportz is bringing their monthly comedy show, TOTALLY IMPROVISED MUSICAL, to Waterside Arts. The show is exactly what it sounds like—an improvised musical. The audience and cast turn up, the audience suggests musical titles that they want to see, and Comedy Sportz improvises an entire musical based on the chosen title...

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Theatre Review: THE MOUSETRAP – The Lowry, Salford

The cast of THE MOUSETRAP UK Tour. Photo Credit: Matt Crockett

Driven by a strong cast performance, THE MOUSETRAP continues to enthral with its timeless blend of mystery, humour, and intriguing characters.

4 out of 5 stars

Celebrating over 70 years, it’s easy to see why Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP is the world’s longest-running play. Its timeless blend of mystery, humour, and intriguing characters has kept audiences on the edge of their seats since its premiere in 1952...

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Theatre Review: CLUEDO 2 – The Lowry, Salford

The cast of CLUEDO 2 UK Tour. Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

CLUEDO 2 offers a fresh twist on the classic whodunnit, blending farce with mystery to great effect.

3 out of 5 stars

The much-anticipated return of the beloved whodunnit play, CLUEDO, graces the stage in 2024 with its sequel, CLUEDO 2, bringing with it a refreshing twist on the original formula.

Set in the swinging 1960s, CLUEDO 2 centres on Rick Black, a fading rock star, who invites a vibrant mix of guests to his mansion, hoping to revive his career...

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Theatre Review: DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA: HEROIC TALES OF SHACKLETON, CREAN & SCOTT – Sale Waterside Arts, Manchester

Aidan Dooley’s one-man play DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA masterfully brings to life the underappreciated heroism and adventures of explorer Tom Crean.

5 out of 5 stars

Ask anyone to name a great explorer of the early 20th century, and they will probably name either Scott (of the Antarctic) or Shackleton; they will not mention Tom Crean, the Irishman who was the only person to serve in three of the greatest expeditions ever mounted and was awarded the Albert Medal for heroism...

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Theatre Review: THE LONG SHADOW OF ALOIS BRUNNER – Factory International, Manchester

The Long Shadow of Alois Brunner. Photo Credit: Tom Dachs

Provocative and multifaceted, THE LONG SHADOW OF ALOIS BRUNNER weaves together history, personal struggle, and the complexities of justice and displacement.

3.5 out of 5 stars

THE LONG SHADOW OF ALOIS BRUNNER, the latest work from the writer Mudar Alhaggi and performed by Collective Ma’louba, is a multifaceted work dealing with many themes...

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Theatre Review: A TASTE OF HONEY – Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

The cast of A TASTE OF HONEY. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Driven by its sublime staging and exceptional cast performance, A TASTE OF HONEY is a must-see.

5 out of 5 stars

When 19-year-old Shelagh Delaney wrote A TASTE OF HONEY in 1958, it sent shock waves through the world of theatre. It was a stinging dose of what would become known as “kitchen sink realism” and depicted a world many had not seen.

The Royal Exchange’s current production has lost none of that impact, and although the play is 66 years old, i...

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Theatre Review: Pretty Woman: The Musical – Palace Theatre, Manchester

Elly Jay and Oliver Savile in PRETTY WOMAN UK Tour. Photo Credit: Marc Brenner

With standout performances and a feel-good vibe, PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL brings a refreshing take but is unlikely to rival musical theatre classics.

3 out of 5 stars

Another hit movie has been made into a modern-day musical. Following in the footsteps of DIRTY DANCING, GHOST and BACK TO THE FUTURE, PRETTY WOMAN, the 1990 smash-hit rom-com, takes to Manchester’s Palace Theatre as a musical for the first time.

Audiences are whisked...

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Theatre Review: DROP THE DEAD DONKEY: THE REAWAKENING! – The Lowry, Salford

Despite the odd rhythmic dip, DROP THE DEAD DONKEY: THE REAWAKENING! has lost none of its acerbic wit.

3.5 out of 5 stars

In the 1990s the internet was still a different place. News media, although adopting the 24-hour format, was still regarded as more or less reliable. Or was it?

DROP THE DEAD DONKEY, which ran from 1990 to 1998, provided a satirical take on the world of news and, more specifically, GlobeLink News, the shambolic and angst-ridden comic creation of Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin...

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